Fly to Sofia. Your tour guide will met you at the airport and transfer you to a nice family hotel deep in the forests of the Rila Mountains. In the evening your guide will brief you on the plan for the next few days. 90 minutes drive approx.

After breakfast we hike towards the area of the Seven Rila lakes. The area offers one of the most impressive mountain landscapes in Bulgaria – a vast cirque, surrounded by jagged summits that reach to 2700m in altitude. As we trek up to the fifth lake (the Kidney) we will acclimatise to the conditions and terrain of Rila mountain. Descent is down along a panoramic ridge with views to the impressive frozen vertical walls of the cirque. We will have a picnic lunch and in the afternoon we will continue
PLEASE ENSURE YOU DO NOT PURCHASE YOUR INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL (FLIGHTS OR OTHER) UNTIL WE HAVE GUARANTEED YOUR TRIP IS RUNNING.
our descent to the beautiful frozen Skakavitsa waterfall (64 m.). We will stay at the same accommodation overnight. (Ascent – 675 m. Descent – 819 m. Duration - 6 hours)

Today we will start with a chairlift to the Seven lakes area, which will take us up to 2100 m. From here we will start our ascent to the Razdela pass at 2610m, from where we will enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of winter Rila mountain. The pass can sometimes be icy. From here we have two options:
a.) Continue along the main ridge towards the east. It's important to stay focused here as the walking on this section does involve moving along some exposed rocky terrain. We will have a picnic lunch, and after lunch we will make the ascent of Mount Malyovitsa (2729 m.), a straight forward ascent on easy snow slopes. Descent to the valley does involve some short sections of slopes up to 35 degrees. This can be icy, so crampons are required. Accommodation in a small family hotel/hut. Dinner and overnight. (Ascent – 712 m. Descent – 1142 m. Duration – 8,30 hours)
b.) Alternatively, we descend along the easy, wide and flat “Green” ridge. The best views of Mount Mayovitsa are seen from here. We continue along the ridge which will take us down to the forest. After which, a short walk through the pine forest will lead us to our family run hotel for the night. (Ascent – 601 m. Descent – 1033 m. Duration – 8,30 hours)

After breakfast we head towards Scary Lake – today is one of the most spectacular days, as we will have a views towards the most imposing and difficult peaks in Bulgaria – scenery not too dissimilar to the high Alps. The terrain involves some short sections of 35 degree slopes and a moraine boulder field crossing. We will stop for our picnic lunch at the Scary Lake shelter. We have the option to climb Mount Golyam Kupen (2732 m.) – this is the highest summit of Northwest Rila – it involves an easy ridge with two 5m sections of 60 degrees steepness. This is potentially icy, so crampons are needed. We descend via Yonchevo lake, which involves one short (20 meter) icy section which will require crampons. (Ascent – 698 m. Descent – 698 m. Duration – 6,30 hours)

Today, we head towards the BAC (Bulgarian Alpine Club) shelter. This is the most challenging day, the ascent through the Malyovitsa valley is a combination of snowy terrain and short sections up to 35 degrees. This brings us to the most technical part of the mountain where we have two options:
a.) Climb Mount Orlovets (2686 m.) – steep terrain (60 degrees), technical difficulties (rocky, exposed ridge)(crampons, one ice axe) from where we will be rewarded with views of the winter Rila range.
b.) Climb Mount Lovnitsa (2695 m.) steep terrain (45 degrees), no technical difficulties – snowy / icy slopes.
We descend to the same accommodation. (Ascent – 896/905 m. Descent – 896/905 m. Duration – 6,30 hours)

We have an easier day today, with a visit to the Urdina valley, one of the wilder and more untouched areas of the mountains. This is followed by a trek down to Govedartsi village and lunch at a traditional tavern. We will visit
some nearby hot thermal mineral pools before returning to our accommodation. (Descent – 627 m. Duration – 4,30 hours)

After breakfast we will have a short transfer to Borovets – one of the largest ski resorts of Bulgaria. From here we will take a panoramic gondola up to 2350m, after which we climb the highest summit of the Balkan peninsula. Our route will take us to the Ice Lake shelter – the highest possible place for overnight stays in Bulgaria, next to the highest lake, at 2723 m. The last section of the climb to Mount Musala involves a ridge with sections of up to 50 degrees, but a wire hand rail is used on these sections to make it easier. At 2926m the summit makes a fitting conclusion to our time in the Rila Mountains. After lunch we descend back to our transport. (6.30 hours)

Transfer to Sofia airport (2.5 hours) and departure.